I lugged a WW2 vintage M3 blowback greasegun for a few weeks in Vietnam along with my M-16. I got it from one of my ARVNs. Just for kicks one day I set a flak jacket up on a paddy dike and shot a burst of 45 ACP at it...and that ol flak jacket stopped those bullets, I dug them out of the lining. I decided right then I didn't need to drag that M3 around any more.

Why did you bother with that heavy old, short ranged clunker in the first place? And were the VC wearing flak jackets? :-)

I think I can answer both of those! He carried it cause thats what he was issued and the VC only had the vests they took off dead GI's but very few were actual Commie issue.

The grease gun was a great tanker gun, mostly for putting heads down. If youve ever come out of a hatch in the defensive mode, you might find it a real friendly item to have, much better than a Pistol and a longarm was useless. It was still being used regularly in the early 80's because like the A10 thunderbolt, nothing to that point came close to being effective at doing what it did best, spray and pray!

As far as used PPE, I wouldnt be a fan, bite the bullet and buy new. Additionally, it wouldnt be a bad Idea to build a Bullet resistant glass cash register area, just in case. The life you save might be your own!

Why did you bother with that heavy old, short ranged clunker in the first place?

When I was deployed, some of the old timers carried Grease Guns and Thompson SMG's because the old, slow .45acp would cut down the underbrush Mr. Charles hid behind. The .223 would go right thru it.
To your question. You'd better check local laws regarding civilians and body armor. It's a no-no in some places. If you do get one and you might face an AK, get a vest with the ballistic insert. Most body armor's useless against steel core ammo.

__________________Never argue with an idiot in public. People passing by won't know which one of you is the idiot.

kevlar is worthless against ANY hi v rifle ammo. 30-30 softpoints go right thru it. so no ball ammo, much less steel core ammo, is needed to defeat it. in fact, 30 carbine ball pierces it, at ranges under 50 yds, if it is the full charge, 1900 fps stuff. I have heard that some 30C ammo is wussied down to 1600 fps these days.